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If you’re just now deciding whether or not to start a new social media marketing strategy, make sure you catch up on the latest social media news and updates before you start planning for the New Year. Check out our 2015 year in review to see the overarching social media trends that defined the year!

Video

2015 was a big year for video. With live streaming apps like Meerkat and Periscope launching early in the year, other networks worked hard to integrate those capabilities or create their own version (see Facebook’s Live product for public figures). In late June, Facebook announced that it will take into account video actions such as turning on sound or playing the video in full screen to prioritize videos in the News Feed. Pinterest even took steps to join the video game, though not quite as far as Facebook; user testing showed that Pinterest users found auto-play ads interruptive, so instead they released animated Cinematic Pins to take advantage of the full-motion trend.

What this means for you: Make it a priority to create more video in 2016. Statistics show that 73% of all U.S. adults are more likely to purchase a product or service after watching an online video. Don’t let your wedding business fall behind – use our infographic to learn the six keys to video marketing success from our video partner, Animoto, so your business can start creating and sharing more videos.

Personalization

After releasing a few minor updates to the balance of friends and pages in April, Facebook announced in July that would be giving users more control over their News Feeds by allowing users to select friends and pages they’d like to see first. By allowing users to self-select what they’re most interested in, Facebook can serve up more personal and relevant content. In an effort to get more men using the female-dominated social network, Pinterest followed suit on personalization by updating its internal search feature to display personalized results based on users’ gender selections.

When Twitter launched audience insights in May of this year, advertisers gained access to additional targeting methods for reaching demographic groups. In July, the network began to allow businesses to apply those demographics to their ad campaigns and tailored audiences. A new persona targeting feature was also added to enable brands to target shorthand categories of audiences, including Millennials and small businesses.

What this means for you: Social media is getting closer and closer to becoming a one-to-one channel, where your business can deliver the right message to the right person at the right time in their decision-making process. Think about how you can segment your audience to start taking advantage of these new features. Perhaps you know that couples tend to book you within the same time frame during the planning process, or that certain regions/cities tend to book one of your services over others. Use whatever data you have to deliver more personalization marketing messages!

Social media is constantly changing. Each network has its own strategy and features, and it can be hard to keep up with the latest news. Never fear! We’ve got your monthly update, all in one place, so you can be prepared for what’s next in social media!

Here’s what you need to know about what’s next in social media from November 2015:

Image via TechCrunch

Instagram finally tests multiple accounts

Instagram is rumored to be beta testing an account switching feature that would allow users to enter in another set of login credentials to their current account. A new selector feature allows you to switch between multiple accounts, and a banner notification makes it clear when you’ve switched accounts. The initial test appeared on the Android version of the social network, and it’s unclear when and how this feature will be rolled out.

What this means for you: Sick of logging in and out of your personal Instagram account when you need to post on your business account? When the update is live for all users, you’ll be able to switch between accounts easily. This update would also presumably allow you to see notifications across both accounts, making it more efficient to check in on notifications from your followers. Being active on your business Instagram will be much easier for those who are also active on their personal accounts!

Pinterest has updated its mobile experience to highlight more recent pins and make your content easier to find. Previously, user’s profile pages were organized by board with the first pin ever added serving as a “billboard” for the collection – making it hard to find recently pinned content and impossible to search. The new profile design highlights the user’s six more recent pins, and it also added the ability to sort pins alphabetically or by topic. With this update, users can easily find their products and projects for later use.

What this means for you: This update encourages users to revisit their pinned content, thereby extending the life of your business’ pins. Once a bride or groom pins your content, they can easily find it again to click through. It also serves as a better reminder when users log on, since seeing that dream wedding dress or beautiful bouquet again jogs the user’s memory so they can continue their research or reach out to your business. Plus, with the ability to sort pins alphabetically or by topic, users can find your content again if they haven’t thought about it recently.

Posted by Allison | October 28, 2015 | Comments Off on What’s Next in Social Media: October 2015

Social media is constantly changing. Each network has its own strategy and features, and it can be hard to keep up with the latest news. Never fear! We’ve got your monthly update, all in one place, so you can be prepared for what’s next in social media!

Here’s what you need to know about what’s next in social media from October 2015:

Image via Marketing Land

Pinterest to add location information to Place Pins

While Pinterest Place Pins are not new, the social network announced its plan to add more and more information to the pins themselves. Location information like a map preview, address, phone number, and hours of operation will now become available on Pinterest, meaning that users operating the network from their phones will be able to take action without switching to a new app (like Google Maps, for instance). Place Pins are currently powered by Foursquare, meaning that the location’s information must be updated there to provide the most accurate information.

What this means for you: In addition to your business reaching potential wedding clients who are looking for inspiration on Pinterest, your business can now connect with those potential clients without them having to leave the site or app. This is especially valuable for wedding venues, since couples can now essentially tour your venue virtually and then call to schedule an appointment in one click. By simplifying the information-gathering process, Pinterest is shortening the time it takes for a potential client to connect with you.

Earlier in the month, Facebook rolled out its latest product, Instant Articles. Currently only available for iPhone users, the new feature allows media companies like The New York Times and The Huffington Post to publish articles directly on Facebook instead of driving traffic back to their own properties. Instant Articles provides a smoother and faster experience for readers, making it easier for companies to reach new customers on Facebook. Continue reading →

Posted by Allison | September 28, 2015 | Comments Off on What’s Next in Social Media: September 2015

Social media is constantly changing. Each network has its own strategy and features, and it can be hard to keep up with the latest news. Never fear! We’ve got your monthly update, all in one place, so you can be prepared for what’s next in social media!

Here’s what you need to know about what’s next in social media from September 2015:

Facebook announces new plan for Pages

In addition to the news that a dislike button is coming soon, Facebook announced this month that the social network will open up two new sections for business pages – shopping and services. These sections allow businesses to feature their products and services directly from their Facebook pages. The original social network expanded these features as part of its plan to help small business owners connect with customers and communicate easily through the platform.

What this means for you: Potential clients can find your business on Facebook, and now they can contact your business or purchase directly through the social network. If your business has already dabbled in Facebook advertising, now is the time to take full advantage so you can start building up your audience in preparation for the upcoming shopping/services section.

This month, Twitter revealed that it has begun experimenting with embeddable polls in tweets. The polls, currently available to those with verified accounts, offer only two responses for users to choose from when answering. After participating in the poll, Twitter users can see results in percentage points to understand how their responses stack up. The new polling feature is anticipated by many brands who would be able to use native polls to survey followers.

What this means for you: Want a quick opinion on which bouquet looks best, which cake flavor is most popular, or which songs wedding guests will be most requesting this season? Twitter’s poll function (when it’s out of testing!) will allow your business to get quick feedback from your clients and followers. Look out for the news from Twitter when they decide whether or not to open up polls for unverified Twitter users.

Social media is constantly changing. Each network has its own strategy and features, and it can be hard to keep up with the latest news. Never fear! We’ve got your monthly update, all in one place, so you can be prepared for what’s next in social media!

Here’s what you need to know about what’s next in social media from August 2015:

Image via Facebook Media

Facebook introduces live streaming

As part of the Facebook Mentions app for public figures, celebrities, and other influencers, Facebook has introduced Live, a new way for public figures to share videos with their fans on Facebook. The new feature allows for a more direct connection between the influencer and their fans, but it also takes advantage of new live-streaming technologies being rolled out like Periscope and Meerkat.

For advertisers who want their Twitter campaigns to go beyond the social network, Twitter has expanded its platform to run advertisements on other publisher sites and apps. Additionally, Twitter added new ad objectives and ad formats to help advertisers accomplish a variety of goals across the Twitter Audience Platform. Users will be able to retweet or favorite ads directly from the ad unit.

For those frustrated by Instagram’s square photo requirement, the social network has released an update that drops the requirement and allows for both landscape and portrait photos and videos. Instagram made this change based on user feedback that for some photos, square formatting is not a good option. Now users can post their photos and videos in the formats they were originally intended, or crop to be square.

Posted by Allison | July 28, 2015 | Comments Off on What’s Next in Social Media: July 2015

Social media is constantly changing. Each network has its own strategy and features, and it can be hard to keep up with the latest news. Never fear! We’ve got your monthly update, all in one place, so you can be prepared for what’s next in social media!

Here’s what you need to know about what’s next in social media from July 2015:

Image via Facebook Newsroom

Facebook updates News Feed controls

In an update following the initial News Feed control tools announcement in November 2014, Facebook has released additional ways for users to personalize their News Feed. In addition to quickly unfollowing or hiding certain posts or people, Facebook has added controls to allow users to select friends and pages they’d like to see first. Facebook has also taken a page out of Instagram’s book and made it easier to discover new pages based on the types of pages users (and their friends) have liked in the past.

When Twitter launched audience insights in May of this year, advertisers gained access to additional targeting methods for reaching demographic groups. This month’s update allows businesses to apply those demographics to their ad campaigns and tailored audiences. Furthermore, the new persona targeting feature enables brands to target shorthand categories of audiences, including Millennials and small businesses. Additional targeting can be applied, but persona targeting offers a great starting point for businesses to reach their target audiences.

Social media is constantly changing. Each network has its own strategy and features, and it can be hard to keep up with the latest news. Never fear! We’ve got your monthly update, all in one place, so you can be prepared for what’s next in social media!

Here’s what you need to know about what’s next in social media from June 2015:

Facebook favors video

In late June, Facebook announced that it has made yet another News Feed tweak – this time to take more video engagement into account. Previously, Facebook tracked whether you watch a video and for how long. This new update takes into account even more video actions, such as turning on sound or playing the video in full screen. These actions taken on videos affect the prioritization of videos in your News Feed, so the more you interact with videos, the more videos you’ll see.

Though the social network has been building towards more integrated e-commerce for a while, Pinterest has finally unveiled a new type of Rich Pin that allows users to purchase things directly from Pinterest partner retailers like Macy’s or Nordstrom. Pinterest users will be able to see prices, select details about the product (like color), and purchase with one tap of a button with a credit card or though Apple Pay. Buyable Pins will also show up in Pinterest recommendations and search.

Twitter has taken a page out of Pinterest’s book with new Product Pages and Collections. These new features include multiple tweets from a brand, but they also have basic product information and the ability to actually purchase those products. Collections look like normal tweets with multiple images, but when a user opens it they get more information and more images which all link to actual product pages. Twitter plans to extend this initial test to provide more personalized and relevant information to users.

Posted by Allison | May 26, 2015 | Comments Off on What’s Next in Social Media: May 2015

Social media is constantly changing. Each network has its own strategy and features, and it can be hard to keep up with the latest news. Never fear! We’ve got your monthly update, all in one place, so you can be prepared for what’s next in social media!

Here’s what you need to know about what’s next in social media from May 2015:

Image via Mashable

Twitter and Google make tweets searchable

Twitter has teamed up with Google to allow tweets to be surfaced within search results. Before this collaboration between Twitter and Google, the only way to search for a Twitter username or specific tweet or hashtag was to search internally on Twitter. Now, for example, searching “WeddingWire twitter account” on Google will pull up results that include WeddingWire’s handle, WeddingWireEDU’s handle, and WeddingWire Support’s handle. This update will go into effect the week of May 26 in the U.S. and will apply to both mobile and desktop Google searches.

Earlier this month, Facebook announced its release of a new product for publishers: Instant Articles. Like LinkedIn’s Pulse, Instant Articles gives publishers the opportunity to create and publish long-form articles to share directly on the social network. Instant Articles provides a great alternative for those businesses who do not have a website or blog but have content to provide for potential customers and other industry experts. The articles are interactive and mobile-friendly.

Pinterest is implementing the use of Cinematic Pins, which are animated ads that show up on users’ feeds. The preview ad released by Pinterest is similar to a .gif because it doesn’t contain audio, and it only moves when the user is scrolling down. In addition to the rest of the Pinterest Advertising suite (including Promoted Pins), the network also plans to add new forms of audience targeting. These new products are being rolled out with a few brand partners to start before becoming available to all brands.

Social media is constantly changing. Each network has its own strategy and features, and it can be hard to keep up with the latest news. Never fear! We’ve got your monthly update, all in one place, so you can be prepared for what’s next in social media!

Here’s what you need to know about what’s next in social media from April 2015:

Facebook updates News Feed algorithm (again)

Facebook has once again updated the way its News Feed algorithm distributes page posts from users and brands. In an effort to improve the balance of posts between other Facebook users and brand pages, posts or articles from brands are being reduced in favor of non-business content. It’s unclear how much these updates will affect businesses, as there are a number of factors that determine placement in the News Feed – but be sure to watch your Insights over the next few weeks.

Earlier in the year Twitter announced its acquisition of Periscope, a live streaming app that allows users to broadcast their streaming video via Twitter. Previously, an app called Meerkat made live streaming video popular, but Twitter’s Periscope makes sharing your live streams easier and faster. Because it’s integrated with Twitter, sharing a live stream can be accomplished with the same experience as sharing a tweet with your followers.

Pinterest has debuted a new program called Marketing Developer Partner, which allows Pinterest partners and publishers to create, schedule and publish Pins and boards for their clients. Currently, social media management platforms like Hootsuite do not allow for scheduling or publishing within their platforms, but a new API would change that. Pinterest also announced plans for an Ads API to give outside ad platforms the ability to push ads to Pinterest.

Posted by Allison | March 25, 2015 | Comments Off on What’s Next in Social Media: March 2015

Social media is constantly changing. Each network has its own strategy and features, and it can be hard to keep up with the latest news. Never fear! We’ve got your monthly update, all in one place, so you can be prepared for what’s next in social media!

Here’s what you need to know about what’s next in social media from March 2015:

Image via Re/code

Facebook Messenger allows payments

Facebook’s standalone app for messaging, Messenger, has introduced the ability for users to tie their debit cards to their Facebook accounts in order to send money to peers through messaging. Money sent through Messenger is transferred to Facebook before the network sends it along to the user’s bank. Peer-to-peer payment apps like Venmo and Square already exist, but this new functionality is novel as many users are already using Messenger to have conversations that culminate in payments which they could not do through the network. Facebook has combined both the organization and payment for events, trips and other peer-to-peer payments.

Twitter recently announced its partnership with Foursquare to allow users to include their location in tweets. Users can include location in tweets now, but the new Foursquare partnership would allow users to be more specific in their locations. Foursquare exists now to allow users to recommend restaurants and other venues based on preferences and location, and Twitter is eager to access that data and leverage it on its own network. Twitter’s goal is to use Foursquare information to be proactive with recommendations and location data, which is a big move for both companies.

Posted by Allison | February 23, 2015 | Comments Off on What’s Next in Social Media: February 2015

Social media is constantly changing. Each network has its own strategy and features, and it can be hard to keep up with the latest news. Never fear! We’ve got your monthly update, all in one place, so you can be prepared for what’s next in social media!

Here’s what you need to know about what’s next in social media from February 2015:

Product Ads on Facebook

In addition to Facebook’s existing ad products, the social network has announced new Product Ads, designed to help businesses promote products or product catalogs across all devices. These ads allow businesses to highlight their products to specific audiences, or let Facebook display the most relevant products to people. These are a great way to link directly to your products and offer discounts.

Twitter’s latest tool, Curator, helps media outlets and businesses figure out which topics are popular and where. Curator allows you to search through tweets, Vine videos and other data with filters to narrow down the results by location, word count, sentiment and more. Users can also select tweets from the search results to present them together in relevant groups.

Stingray, a spam-fighting service widely used at Pinterest, can identify inappropriate and unwanted behavior on the social network in real-time. Since many social networks rely on manual moderation to keep spam posts under control, Stingray balances automatic detection and manual intervention. Rather than block the spam account, the service makes it so that the spammer’s posts are invisible to others.

Posted by Allison | January 30, 2015 | Comments Off on What’s Next in Social Media: January 2015

Social media is constantly changing. Each network has its own strategy and features, and it can be hard to keep up with the latest news. Never fear! We’ve got your monthly update, all in one place, so you can be prepared for what’s next in social media!

Here’s what you need to know about what’s next in social media from January 2015:

Image via Business Insider

Facebook’s Place Tips

In late January, Facebook unveiled a location-based recommendation feature called Place Tips. When Facebook users with enabled GPS/wi-fi settings are close to a location that Facebook believes they would like, they’ll receive a notification in their News Feeds. The notification itself directs users to access reviews, photos and posts from friends who have visited the location, making the information more personalized and relevant. This feature is part of the main Facebook app, not a spin-off app like Messenger or Groups.

For Apple iOS users, Twitter has added a new feature that recaps tweets you may have missed since the last time you used the Twitter app. Because users who do not sign in or use the app often may miss tweets as they appear chronologically, Twitter’s new feature displays the top tweets for you based on an algorithm that takes into account user habits and engagement. The goal for this feature is to connect with users – even when they aren’t using the app – and boost engagement.

Pinterest’s internal search feature has evolved once again to display personalized results based on users’ gender selections. In an effort to get more men using the female-dominated social network, Pinterest has made this change to maximize its usefulness for men. When you create a profile, you’re asked to select whether you’re male or female; this filter is based on that original selection. This filter, in addition to other filters in Pinterest’s guided search, can be turned on or off at will – meaning that female users can still search men’s products, and vice versa.